Other forms: possessions
A possession is something you own, or the state of having it. Personal possessions, in possession of, take possession.
In law, possession is having control of something and ownership is having the right to it — the two come apart constantly, which is why possession is nine tenths of the law is a saying about practice rather than principle. In sport, possession is having the ball. Note possess, from the Latin for sitting as master.
1nounnounSomething you own.
“The fire destroyed their house and all their possessions.”
2nounpossessionThe state of having control of something.
“The police found him in possession of stolen goods.”
Too few real examples of this word to estimate which sense is commonest.
possession is a thing owned, or control.
Also accepted in games: property
Latin possessio comes from possidere, to possess — potis, able, plus sedere, to sit. Sedentary and potent come from the two halves.
Latin
possessio
English, today
possession
From Latin possessio. Equivalent to possess + ion.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA